Hi guys, !!LONG POST ALERT!!

I've spent the last few hours browsing the different threads, but can't seem to find an answer to my problem - apologies if it's out there & I missed it! This might go on a while, so grab a coffee

So, my 2003 CRD has been running fine since I bought it 4 years ago.

However, in the last 6 months EVERYTHING has gone wrong! Well, it feels like everything to me anyway.... I should say at this point that I am not mechanically minded at all, so sorry if I use the wrong names etc - I'm here to learn though

I had a leak of power steering fluid about 2 years ago, but my local mechanic did a bit of magic and it's not been a problem till last week.

So in the last 3 weeks, I've had another corroded power steering hose, and I had to drive 15 miles home with it groaning at every corner! Mechanic fixed it again (free of charge!) and we're hoping for another 2 years trouble free.

The auxilliary alternator tensioner (?) packed in, so that was changed, as was the alternator pulley....

A replacement crank position sensor in an attempt to fix the problem I'm about to describe....

An ongoing problem with my ignition cylinder (key won't turn unless I give it a firm tap - with a hammer!) has been fixed tonight (£270!!!) thanks to a new cylinder built around my key.

HOWEVER - and this is the point of my post I guess... I experienced a new problem in October when we were driving up a fairly steep road in the Welsh mountains, and as I was accelerating, I guess the revs were around the 4k mark, I lost power.

Now I know you'll be saying to yourselves "not THAT problem again...", and you'd be right!

To describe it as best I can, my foot was still pressed on the pedal and the engine was still running, but the revs dropped completely, and there was no acceleration at all. I managed to coast onto the grass verge at the side of the road, but after about 10 seconds from the initial loss of power, the engine stalled (oil light came one) and I lost everything, including power steering (scary!).

After a few minutes of panic (we were SERIOUSLY in the middle of nowhere - and no mobile phone signal either!!), I tried to start the engine and it fired up lovely. And that was that. 180 miles later, and we were home with no further problems - until 3 weeks ago, when it did exactly the same thing again. Similar circumstances, after a 90 minute run on the motorway (70+ mph), up a slight incline as I was coming off the motorway.

It has since done it 4 or 5 times, and I can now almost predict it happening again, the power drops slightly, and if I then floor the gas pedal, it cuts out. It seems to be that 4000 revs mark that pushes it too hard.

I did LOTS of reading on various forums, and came to the conclusion that it wasn't the crank position sensor, but possibly air in the fuel filter. so I popped the bonnet (hood!) and my filter is a bit different to the one's I've seen on various threads. Those often have a black primer pump offset at 45 degrees from the filter - mine is a small white circular screw-in type right on top in the centre.

So I unscrewed it, and there was almost no resistance when I started the pump it, after maybe 20 pumps, there was enough resistance to make it difficult to screw back into position. I took it out for a quick drive, and what a difference! It was like driving a rally car, the acceleration was amazing.

Next day, driving home from work, and guess what happened? Yup, I lost power. Came home nice & steady, and checked the filter. No resistance, and a few pumps later it was solid again. The funny thing is, as the pump becomes more difficult, little splashes of fuel jump out of the top of the filter where the primer is.

Took it the mechanic today, and he's not sure what to do - given the amount of money I've spent in the last few weeks, he doesn't want to "try a few things" because of the cost and there's no guarantee it'll fix the problem. He's recommended a local diesel engine specialist, but I'm wondering whether they'll run up a huge bill trying things out. I've also found a local-ish independent Jeep specialist, so am considering ringing them in the morning.

I'd love to find out what the problem is likely to be, so I can at least give them an idea of where to start looking.

So come on guys, get your thinking caps on, and ask as many questions as you need to help a VERY broke Yorkshireman try and save a few £££.

Thanks for reading (if you made it this far!), and sorry it's a long thread, but I wanted to provide as much information as I could.

Cheers

Steve

_________________
2003 Midnight Blue Jeep Liberty CRD Limited
No mods whatsoever!

From the sounds of things, you have a bad fuel filter head. That primer should not leak one iota of fuel while pumping or otherwise. Replace it, and I suspect the trouble will disappear.

_________________
Mike Rausch
Bear, Delaware
2006 Liberty Sport CRD 253K

Thanks for the reply - that's my conclusion too, based on everything I've read. Is it just the head, or is there a wiring harness needed too? Again, mixed opinions/filter styles have got me confused!

Y'know, I'm looking online to try get an idea of price, and I can't find one anywhere! How much would one cost in the US?

Thanks

Steve

_________________
2003 Midnight Blue Jeep Liberty CRD Limited
No mods whatsoever!

with a 2003 - you have the Racor style fuel head - not the molded plastic that the 2.8's got.
so it's less likely to leak - however it has a real 2.5 micron filter -
so unless you've changed it recently - I'm thinking you have a clogged filter.

_________________
2005 CRD
stuff
Skeptic quod gratis asseritur, gratis negatur

Also, people that experience fuel filter problems are more likely to experience them on a grade, because the fuel tank shifts, and sediment (yes it's in all of them) shifts to the fuel intake and gets sucked towards the filter.

Just simple fluid dynamics and physics.

_________________
Silver 2006 KJ 2.8L CRD Limited:
GDE ECO Tune / Fumoto Valve / E-Tecno GX3123 7v Glow Plugs / 2nd Gen Fuel Head / Mishimoto RED Hoses / Rockers/Lifters @ 114k / Hayden FC + 11 Blade Nylon / Sears P1 Battery / Transgo 45RFE-HD2 Reprogramming Kit / Timken Front Bearings

Thanks guys....

Called the independent Jeep specialists today. The guy really seemed to know his stuff, and said the leaky filter head is relatively common with older jeeps. Part has to ordered from dealer though, and had no idea on price.

Called local main dealer, and they gave me a total price of £112 to supply new filter head.

I reckon I'd be charged an hours labour for the swap, call it £45, so I'm looking at about £160 (approx $260) to get it sorted....assuming that's the problem of course!

Wrong time of year for all this expense!!!! I reckon it's cost me about £1000 this year overall. Ho f*ckin ho, my a*se.....

Steve

_________________
2003 Midnight Blue Jeep Liberty CRD Limited
No mods whatsoever!

Loss of power when climbing and heavy power load is usually clogging fuel filter, in my experience. The new head should come with a new filter, too, so killing two birds with one stone. Best of luck for many miles of trouble free driving.

I had an isse where I lost power when using more than 3/4 on the go pedal. It ended up being a bad batch of fuel that clogged 2 fuel filters which meant the fuel must have been very dirty as I us a racor 225 fuel filter/head assembly.